The Power of Four
by Horselovemaddie
Summary: Rose hides her true identity as a woman to become a guard at the palace in Corus. She soon discovers her true roots, and calls upon her new friends (Alanna, George, and Jonathan) to help save her mother - the queen of the Copper Isles. My first fanfic
1. Chapter 1

Hi all, this is my first fanfic, I have loosely based this on Tamora pierces book, so the only thing I own is my story and my oc characters. Please be warned that mot is a woman, a cove is a man, and a Mage is a witch.

The Little Boy

Chapter 1

It was a long hard walk up the valley to the palace. Rose's already sun kissed skin had been stained crimson from the sun, and her feet long ached for a rest. Pity little beggars rushed to her feet at the sight of the silver sword hilt against her hip. But she had no interest in giving them what small coin she may have. She knew that the money went to some big business man in the city, she'd much rather give it to the women at the Mother Goddess Temple.

A little lad who looked to be about the wee age of 6, ran toward her. He didn't look like your average looking cove. Blonde bouncing curls sat in tufts at the top of his head, and two small blue pools framed his dimpled cheeks and plush lips. "Only blue bloods look like him!" Thought Rose, but nay, she lied. Underneath her short brown men's wig (that the Mage back home was so kind to get for Rose), was long, straight blonde hair, that fell to her waist. But she was no blue blood. Not in the heavens. She had been raised in the countryside by her Older sister and the sisters at The Mother Goddess temple.

The little boy tugged on Rose's sword, knocking her awake from the deep pool of thought. "What is it Lad?" she asked in her manliest tone. The little boy smiled, the dimples on his cheeks deepened as he bore a big a big grin. "You sound Funny!" He giggled. Rose's cheeks went a deep scarlet.

"Now don't be makin' fun of a palace guard!" She frowned. Rose had lied, she wasn't a palace guard. Yet.

"Pardon me, Guardsman." Smiled the little boy. "Would you be so kind as to take me home? I don't want to worry my Nanny." He said politely.

"What good manners he has for a city lad!" Rose baffled. But then it hit her. The little boy wore a fine tunic made from purple silk, and little golden engraved shoes.

"My gods! He is a blue blood! He's from the palace!"

Thoughts ran through her mind of how he had escaped. But there was no time to waste. If a kidnapper found the little boy, no one would see him for months, if not years.

Rose bowed deeply toward the boy. "Please forgive my poor mannerisms, majesty. I did not think children of the palace were allowed past the gates?" She raised an eyebrow in question. But yet again the little boy bore an even bigger grin. "Well, I wanted to play with the commoner children, they always look to have so much more fun than the palace children." He smiled. Rose laughed, he seemed to be quite witty too.

"Would your majesty like me to escort him home?" She asked. The little boy frowned, and looked over to where three other dark haired children giggled and played amongst some poor mot's neatly trimmed garden. He turned back at Rose, "As long as I get to ride on your back." He smiled mischievously. With no time to waste, she heaved him onto her back, and he giggled with delight, then slowly trekked up the last leg of the valley path.

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"This palace is amazing" she thought, she made sure her mouth wasn't on the ground before she examined the palace a little more. Towers of deep set grey stone laid pressed against the fading light of the auburn evening sky. At the top of each tower was the proud flag of Corus, and the grand palace gates were set in sterling silver that had a white aura floating in between each bar. It must have been magicked by the court mages.

The palace guards at the royal gates were shocked to see Rose and the little royal by her side, they mayhap thought she had kidnapped him, because one of the guards held a sharp blade to her throat.

Rose was still with shock.

The boy screamed in terror. "No! Don't hurt him! He's guardsman! He found me and took me home!" He yelled. The huge scar stained guard released the sickly clean blade from her throat, and the oxygen flowed back into her lungs. She began to think about why the blade looked like it had been polished so many times, but she put those bloody thoughts away, she had to be tough. Why she didn't stop the blade, she did not know. Back home she was the most talented in sword fighting and combat amongst all the boys.

A older man dressed in pure gold and silver armour (much more prestigious than the other guards) walked toward Rose. "Thank you, for returning our guest, young man." The little boy ran and stood behind him.

"Phew! He thinks I'm a boy." Rose was relieved. She bowed her head in return.

The man had what would have been a very handsome face in his day, deep brown eyes set in a tanned canvas and a well trimmed beard was its silver frame.

"What is it you wish for your reward?" He asked, and pulled out a small brown bag containing shiny gold nobles. Rose put up her hand in protest. " I wish not to take your monies, good sir." She said, puffing out her chest. The old man gave Rose a quizzical look. It was probably the first time a young 'cove' has refused money from the royal palace. Mayhap he thought she was mad.

"But, I wish for a position here at the palace as a guard."

The old man scoffed. "I'm sorry, but we don't hire pretty boys." He laughed and turned away with the young lad following cautiously two steps behind him. Once the other guardsmen saw their master laughing, they joined in, and Rose's cheeks went red once again. She wished the young boy would speak out for her again, but she thought he mayhap be beaten for speaking out twice, for she did not know if he was high up in the court.

Rose's blood began to boil, she had made it so far from the countryside to the main city of Corus. She had wagered debts in order to get from one place to another, and she had met kind people who helped her along the way. Yet she had also met many thieves and bandits who she battled for various jewels, food, and clothes. They were sneaky and dark, too much for her liking.

"When are they recruiting?" Rose said, trying not to sound too desperate. Her father had always told her that being desperate was one of a woman's weaker emotions. No one replied, or even gave her a second look. Except for the young boy. He ran to her and whispered in her ear:

"Tomorrow at noon!"

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	2. Chapter 2 - The Dancing Dove

The Dancing Dove

Chapter 2

Rose had found her way back into the thick of Corus city. Although night had fallen, the city was still awake. Children ran in between their mother's and father's legs, young Knights from the palace sauntered around the streets as if they owned the place, and pigeons nestled in the rooftops, cooing at who ever wandered below. Rose decided to walk down a crowded street where stalls full of bustling mothers, daughters and kin alike were selling the last of the day's bread.

Noticing her empty belly, Rose wandered over to a small stall served by a young girl around 17, the same age as herself. Her dark brown locks had been tamed back by a flour-stained handkerchief, and she had large eyes. Bigger than the moon itself. They were like emerald jewels set in porcelain cheeks and a cheeky grin on her blood red lips. The girl didn't notice Rose until she looked up to where Rose stood, at least a head and a half taller than she.

"How can I help you, sir?" She asked, adding a wink. Rose had never been winked at before, ESPECIALLY by another girl. Rose's cheeks burned.

"Umm... Hi Miss, could I uh... Get that small loaf just there?" She pointed at the small loaf that mayhap have been there since the the early morn, but it was the biggest thing left that would satisfy Rose's grumbling stomach.

The girl rested her hands on the table and squeezed her chest together, then lent toward Rose. "Tell me your name and I'll give a discounted price, cove." She winked again.

"It's... Ah... Mathew" she gulped, she had no idea what to do in the situation, someone was flirting with her, and she didn't like it.

"Well Sir Mathew, If you give me a kiss it'll be free." She puckered up her lips, and closed her eyes, patiently waiting for Rose's lips to meet hers. Rose turned to walk away, but bumped into a tall cove. His hair was trimmed short, and he had a handsome grin with brown eyes. He looked to be in his early twenties, and he was strong in his arms and chest. The man gave Rose a wink, and grab held of her arm. He put two of his fingers together and pressed them against the young girl's lips, and went into a dreamy stance. She didn't open her eyes until Rose and the Cove were gone.

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Rose found herself being dragged into the busy crowd by the man. She freed her arm from the cove, and brushed herself off. The cove lent against a nearby building as he smiled at Rose. "Number one rule in Corus," he pointed at the stall where they had both been. "Never visit Mrs Patsy's bakery." He laughed and gave a firm handshake to Rose. "George Cooper." He grinned. Rose smiled "Mathew Nightly.". She turned back to look at the dazed young girl at the stall. She was now in the arms of a short, stocky cove, who kissed her passionately on the lips. Rose turned back to George, "Why not?" She asked, raising her eyebrow. George looked back at to her, then his eyes widened. "My gods man!" George gasped, he pushed her chin up so he could see her eyes better. Rose blushed, again.

"You're eyes are bluer than the oceans of Port Cayan!" He said, gazing deeply into Rose's Sapphire pools, she bit her plump pink lips. "Ah, thanks. But as I said before, Why not visit that bakery?" She moved her chin out of his grasp. George shook himself out of the trance. "Oh, she's one of Corus's best Temptresses." He smiled, " Everyone knows... Except her husband." He laughed. Rose heartily laughed back. "Oh, I will make note of that." She replied. George took himself off the wall and stood square on the cobblestone street. Rose was tall for a girl, but George seemed to tower over her.

"I'm guessing you've never been here before?" He asked. Rose nodded her head in shame. She thought she must look like a country boy "Yeah, not really. Would you happen to know of somewhere I could stay the night?" The only accommodation she was offered earlier was some lodgings at the nearby brothel, where Rose really didn't feel like sleeping. George nodded, "I know of the perfect place."

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George led Rose to the outskirts of Corus, winding through tight dark alleyways, and the busy streets of the lower city. The pair kept a conversation going for the duration of the walk, and Rose picked up on his wittiness, he reminded her of a thief, but a good thief. The sort that would steal from the rich and give to the poor.

They finally arrived outside a busy looking tavern, a large wooden sign hung on a rusty metal railing. It faintly read: The Dancing Dove, and a quaint little bird perched underneath. "This is me home slash tavern." He grinned. Rose liked the place more than the other taverns she had passed. Drunk men brawled and argued within and outside, whilst The Dancing Dove had a safe, homelike, aura about it. She wondered if it had been magicked like the Palace gate.

"There are plenty of rooms upstairs," George smiled. "But before you unpack, Come and have a drink with me friends and me. You remind me of him." Rose remembered her empty stomach. "Ok, as long as I get a feed." She laughed.

Inside the Tavern, women who tended the bar wore low cut dresses, but smacked the hands of men who dared touch. At a big table at the back of the candle lit room, sat three young men. One was noticeably quite smaller than the rest, with fiery red hair. "These must be his friends." Rose thought, as George led her to the table. The three men looked up at their friend with huge grins and welcomes. "Dear friends," he glanced back at Rose, who stood tall and strong behind him. "Meet my new acquaintance, Mathew Nightly." He said.

The red-head stood up first "Good to meet you, My name is Allan." Rose shook the man's hand, which she noticed was small and thin like hers. She looked up from the handshake and into his eyes. "They're purple!" She gasped, Allan had the same reaction when he looked into Rose's eyes. George laughed as the pair stared deeply at each other. "See, my new friend has magical eyes like you, Al!" He said. Al's eyes went into a deep frown at George, "They're not Magic, George Cooper!" He spat. The other men laughed and pushed Allan lightly on the shoulder. The young man sitting next to Alan, had brown locks, similar to Rose's wig. He was handsome, and had an authoritative look about himself, but a trickle of kindness poured onto his lips as he smiled.

"I'm Jon, good to meet you Mathew." He shook her hand firmly. The last man was huge, almost as tall as George, but a little stockier. He wasn't extremely handsome, but he had a kind face, which relaxed Rose in the awkward meeting of the men. "Good to meet you." She smiled. "Likewise!" I'm Gary." He boomed. He had a voice to match his size.

George pulled up two chairs for them both, and fell into his with a 'whoompf'. Jon grinned at George as he gulped from a large cup of ale.

"Hard work being the King of Thieves, eh George?" All the men laughed. Except for Rose. "The King of Thieves?!" She thought madly to herself. "And I bet

these other men are petty criminals! The last thing I need is a friendship with law-breakers, then there is no way I'd be a palace guard!"

George jumped up in his chair and placed a hand on Rose's shoulder, she must've looked like she was going to take flight, just like the dove on the sign. "Worry not, Mathew." George apologised, "As the King of Thieves, I monitor the safety of our victims, and we make sure the fortunes are given to good charity." He smiled. Allan laughed, "And what charity is that, George? Your back pocket?" He grinned mischievously. Rose settled back into her seat. "What about the rest of you?" She raised an eyebrow.

Alan replied first, "I'm a squire at the royal palace." He smiled. Gary nodded his head, "I'm a Knight of Corus. There's no need to watch out for me." He laughed. Jon was the last to speak, he looked at George, and George nodded his reply. It was as if the could read each other's minds.

"I'm... Ah, also a Knight of Corus. But I am also the Prince."


	3. Chapter 3 - Too many females

Too Many Females

Chapter 3

"As in Prince Jonathan?!" Rose whispered violently. She daren't raise her voice in case someone they couldn't trust overheard. Jon sighed, "Yes, I am.". Rose fell into a deep bow, then knelt down on one knee. "Please forgive me, majesty, for I have been so careless as to not notice this was you.".

If Rose wanted work at the palace as a guard and earn enough money to support her sister back home, she must clear the blood from her ledger.

"There is no need for that, Mathew," he gave an understanding look to Rose.

"Please, treat me as if I were born a commoner. It's the only time I get to be 'normal'." She nodded her head obediently. "Yes your maj...I mean, Jon." She mumbled, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

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The rest of the evening felt more relaxed, Rose had gotten on well with all the men, and none of them had suspected she was a woman. Or at least she hoped not, especially the Prince. He was the person standing between her and her wish to be a palace guard.

Rose said goodnight to her new friends and went up to her room. It was cozy, with a large double bed swallowing up the entire room. There was a fire place in the corner, which George said had been magicked by a street mage to keep alight all night.

Rose was startled by a knock on her door. She rushed to open it, and a fiery haired Alan stood smiling. "Is there anything I can do for you, Allan?" She asked. The squire nodded his head, "May I come in?" He asked, Rose became suspicious, but trusted him well enough to let him in.

"There was something I noticed about you, Mathew, that reminds me of myself." He sat down on the edge of Rose's bed. Her heart beat faster than the squeaking of the bed springs. "He's found me out!" She worried. But Allan continued. "You know that I know what your hiding, Mathew." His words stuck in the warm air of the room, then melted slowly into Rose's mind.

"How do you know what I'm hiding." Rose said defensively. She crossed her arms over her tightly bandaged bosom.

Allan smiled.

"Because, I'm hiding it too."

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Now Rose knew why 'Alan' had been so different from the other men. Fine hands, thin figure, and gentle eyes, she was surprised she hadn't thought of the idea before.

"Please don't tell anyone!" Rose gasped, 'Alan' stood closer to Rose.

"I won't if you don't either." She replied. Rose was relieved, she uncrossed her arms and pulled off the wig, revealing her long, blonde hair.

"I'm sorry but I had take it off." Rose sighed, "It itches constantly, without stop. But of course you would know the feeling right Al..." Before Rose could finish her sentence, 'Alan' cut in. " It's Alanna... That's my real name. And no, I don't know what it feels like, I've cut my hair this short ever since." She replied.

Rose admired Alanna for cutting her locks, but Rose could not bear to live without hers.

"My real name is Rose." She gave a half smile. Alanna gave her a wobbly curtesy, and Rose followed back in the same way Alanna had. They both laughed. "Do you think they'll find out if I go to the guard recruitment tomorrow at the palace?" Rose asked, but she didn't like the look of her chances. Alanna shook her head in disagreement. "The only reason I knew your were a woman was because of your eyes. Women like us seem to be the only ones with 'magic eyes'." She laughed. Rose ran her fingers through her hair thoughtfully. "You see, I never knew my mother. And my father died when I was very small. My older sister raised me, and I feel like I've taken a big chunk of her life away, you know?" Rose said. "I am eternally grateful for her care, but I think I owe it to her to her to send her back my wages." She sighed. Alanna stood and warmed her behind on the fire. "My mother died when I was born with my twin brother." She said. "But my father sent me off to a finishing school, and my brother to become a knight. But I wanted to be the knight, and my brother wanted to learn magic, so we switched."

Rose admired Alanna deeply, but she knew she could never let her sister down. "I just wanted to become a knight, you know?" Rose said frustratedly.

"All my years of training and hard work knocked down by a single blow. Because I'm no noble." Alanna stood even closer to the flame. "You could be." She said plainly, but Rose didn't understand. "Could be what?" She asked.

"A noble lady." She replied, "You look like a royal because of your eyes, your hair, and your frame." She shrugged. Rose looked at her tanned skin, "I am no royal, Alanna, look at my skin!" She laughed nervously. But still Alanna persisted, "You look like a princess of the islands. They're all tall and tanned like you Rose." She shrugged again. "Anyway, being a female royal won't help you to become a knight anyways."

Rose straightened her crumpled tunic. Is she stayed up any later, she wouldn't be able to get of bed in the morning. "Will I see you at the guard recruitment tomorrow, Alanna?" She asked. Alanna stood from the hearth, and made her way to the door. She walked halfway though the door then turned back to smile at Rose.

"Sure will."

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Rose woke at the break of dawn, she stretched her aching legs and washed. She thought she would get her blood warm before the knots in her muscles set. The hearth stilled cackled in the corner, and the pigeons who had settled on the roof had risen. Rose tip-toed down the empty hallway, and jumped down onto the cobblestone road. The lights were still yet to be lit by the city mages, but a baby blue lit the horizon just over the rolling hills. Setting off at a steady jog, she smelt the rich scent of bread dough. She was the only one on the streets apart from the provost's dogs who gave her suspicious glances as she ran past. "They mayhap never seen anyone exercise." She laughed at the many Provost dogs that munched on cakes and sweets as they patrolled the streets.

Rose arrived back at The Dancing Dove by the time everyone had arisen for the day. George sat at the back of the Tavern, mindlessly eating a bowl of stale porridge, whilst he read a piece of blood-stained parchment.

"Morning, highness." Rose giggled, she slumped down into a chair, exhausted from the exercise. But the knots in her legs had disappeared. A hungover looking mot dropped a wooden bowl of porridge in front of Rose. She hungrily dug in. George rolled away the letter and stuck it in his back pocket. "Morning, Mathew. How did you sleep?" He asked, pushing the cruel tasting porridge away from him. Rose swallowed the sticky, grey sludge. "Fine. I woke up early and went for a run, the Provost dogs were flabbergasted to see me running, it was as if they'd never seen exercise before. George laughed, "Most of the dogs these days don't do any work, just take the bribes." He shook his head. "Anyway, might I ask what you are doing today? I thought I'd invite you to come with me and watch the Guard recruitment at the palace. See some young men make a fool of themselves in front of the King." He smirked.

Rose crossed her tanned arms against her chest defensively. "Well have fun by yourself, George, I'll try not to make a fool of myself amongst them." She raised an eyebrow. George gave an awkward laugh, "I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were joining up. But, please, make sure you do a good job. You don't want to disappoint the Prince." He grinned ear to ear. Rose saw the sun lifting itself over the mountains. If she left now, it would give her a good chance to warm up before midday. "Ha. Ha. Very funny George." She fake laughed. "I want to get there before midday and warm up. So I'll be off now, will you join me?" She asked. But much to her dismay, George shook his head. "I'm afraid I have some important matters to attend to this morning, but I shall come up at midday." He stood from his seat, and went outside at a large paced walk, which would have been a run for Rose in comparison to his long strides.

Rose grabbed the things she needed from her pack upstairs. A water flask, a map, her armour and sword, then followed the path she a previously taken the day before to get to the palace.

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	4. Chapter 4- Surprises

Please forgive the short chapter and long awaited update! Easter holidays have interfered in my daily writing schedule :) so far I have gotten really positive reviews (thank you so much x), so please keep them coming! If something doesn't make sense or if I'm having a crappy spelling day, I blame it on year 10 homework :p

Surprises

Chapter 4

Rose arrived at the royal palace just as the sun lay in the middle of the sky. She was ushered through the gates, and into the entrance of the palace. The entry hall was incredible, all the windows were of delicate stained glass, and the floors were immaculate. She and a couple of other men followed their host through the rooms to a large indoor exercise area. Dummies roughly stitched in one corner, shields in the other. A large throne caught everyone's eye, and next to it were three other chairs, all carefully embroidered in gold stitching and velvet cushioning. She guessed this would be for the king and his entourage to watch. "No pressure." She thought.

Pushing the nauseating thoughts of her nervousness aside, Rose limbered up. She would be sore the next morning if she didn't warm her muscles. The other men who were trying out put their armour on first, and showed off their swords. Rose laughed, they would be easy to battle in the combat training because they would be so stiff. Within an hour, the room was completely full of men. Thankfully Rose was tall, so she could she over the shoulders of them all. Hearty laughs and nervous whispers were silenced by heavy footsteps. And before Rose could see who these were, the whole crowd of men fell to their knees, bowing their heads to the King, who sat down in his royal throne. He looked very similar to Jon, with the exception of more wrinkled features and stress lines, what would have been a custom for every king.

Jon and the queen followed soon after, he bore a serious face, sizing up all the men, but his mother did not. The queen was beautiful, she was frail (from many years of sickness), but delicate with dark hair and lashes. Her skin was of Ivory, draped over her high cheekbones, and a kind smile sat at her lips.

"Welcome, men." The king boomed, his voice echoing off the high walls and ceilings. "Only a small portion of you will be selected to guard these precious palace walls, so please show us your strength, courage, and fitness."

The men all stood to their feet and whooped at the king. Jon stood from his chair, the room went silent again. "Half of you will start at hand to hand combat over there." He said and pointed at the well-worn dummies. Everyone's heads followed the direction of his long finger. Jon cleared his throat.

"The other half of you will start with sword practice. Please organise yourselves into the according groups." He finished. All of the cockier-looking men pushed through the crowd toward the sword section, the less confident found themselves being pushed in the opposite direction to the hand to hand combat. Rose found herself being pushed along with the less confident crowd, but that was where she wanted to start anyway. One on one combat was perfect to warm up, if she went straight to the swords she would be less agile and balanced. An old trainer with wrinkle streaked features stood before them all. He had to be at least 70, but what should have been a weak, frail old man was instead a long-legged, ball of muscle. "Welcome, men." Rose heard at least 40 men gulp at the size of his voice. "Please line yourselves up shortest to tallest on the white line. And make it fast." He boomed, but not in a cruel way, just loud enough to make anyone feel threatened. At the very beginning of the long line of men (née Rose), a middle aged man stood at least two and a half metres tall, and at the other end, a small young boy who looked to be about 13 stood. "How do they let small children in as guards, but no strong women?" Rose scoffed to herself. Once she became a palace guard she hoped to change that.

Rose found herself a spot somewhere in the middle, before she heard the mumble of voices steaming through the spectator section. Men and women from both the royal court and the cess pool shuffled into assigned seats, all pushing in one swift movement. Although Rose couldn't see George, she felt his presence and felt instantly calmer. Hopefully she could keep her emotions on the low the entire day.

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"Take that, Pretty boy!" Roses sword partner took a sharp stab at her ribs. Rose swiftly dodged the clumsy movement from her short, middle aged opponent. His face was strung with mixed emotions of fear, excitement, and a strong rage to kill her rather than simply duel. He was the second person she had been commanded to fight. The swords master was impressed by Rose's skill and agility, but wasn't happy with just one duel unlike the hand to hand combat trainer. Rose had easily taken down her combat partner within thirty seconds, he was weak and cowardly raised his hands up in defeat when Rose struck him behind the knees.

Rose plunged her wooden sword into her opponent's abdomen, which in result pushed him heavily down to the floor. "I surrender!" He yelled, which cued the eye roll from the swords master. "Get on your feet, coward" the master snarled. His bottom lip curled up like a Staffy. "Mathew, you have great skill." He turned to face Rose. "Where on earth did you aquire it from?" He asked puzzled. Rose was about to answer the master when she was interrupted by the King. "Yes, where did you Aquire such skill?" He boomed. The King and his entourage now stood behind the sword master. All of the men lowered their heads in respect to the royals. Rose gulped, she couldn't tell them the story of the Mother Goddess priestesses taking her to the boys fighting academy when she was 12. That was before she had to bind her chest and bandage her underclothes every month.

Everyone's eyes fell onto her, but Jon held the only reassuring glance. "I come from a small town on the outskirts of Corus," she began, not knowing what to make up next. "Close to where the Rural Boy's Fighting Academy is situated. I used to take classes there." Rose hoped it sounded legitimate enough, although in speaking, it wasn't entirely untrue...

The swords master and King both nodded their heads in some sort of unspoken agreement. Rose prayed to the gods they hadn't found out she was female. But much to her luck, the King responded. "You're in."

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	5. Chapter 5 - Untold Secrets

Hi all! I hope this longish chapter makes up for the short one before! I think I have now officially planned how this story is going to pan out, so I'll hopefully be able to post a new chapter every day or two. Thank you to all of my helpful reviews, please keep them coming so I can see if you guys are enjoying it! Xx

Unlocked Secrets

Chapter 5

Rose stood amongst a sea of green, blue and hazel eyes. Each pair glaring emotions of jealousy and disgust toward her. She ignored her fellow recruits, and fell to one knee. "Thank you, your majesty." The gentle echo of her voice didn't reach the large stone ceiling, but it was enough to reach everyone's ears. The King nodded his head in approval, and Jonathan copied his Father. He walked to Rose and pointed his arm toward the exit along with a cheeky wink. "Please follow me, Guardsman."

She couldn't believe it.

She had made it.

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Before Rose could jump for joy she was whisked away into a flurry of young female serVants. One by one they removed her armour. She began to panic, if they removed her tunic, she would be discovered. Such a thing would unravel all her delicate work from the past few years. A kind old woman began to undo her belt and sword hilt, but Rose flung her hands to the woman's vein stricken ones.

"Is there possibly somewhere I could change...alone?" She asked frantically, hoping her eyes wouldn't scare the woman away. The other servants stopped and giggled, they mayhap of thought she was a shy young man. The older woman smiled in understanding. "Yes of course, over there in the booth. But you must know that when you live in the palace you change with everyone else?" She raised an eyebrow in concern. Rose was frightened of the idea of seeing naked men every morning for the rest of her life, even though most of the women she knew would have been very happy in that situation.

Rose was given a tunic made of fine blue silk to wear under her silver armour. Unlike with her old armour that she still was yet to grow into, Rose didn't have to polish it herself, a highly laborious task for some. But she wanted to do it herself, she didn't want unknown hands polishing her gear, it was very personal to her.

And finally over her shining armour was a blue tank with the Corus emblem stitched in gold thread.

Rose looked herself up and down in a large wooden framed mirror in the corner. A silence greater than words began to build the longer she looked. The women blushed and gasped at her sight when the old woman removed the curtain. She stood tall with her body looking powerful and strong, and her face was...handsome. Not that she admitted it to herself in a cocky way.

As a girl, Rose had always been admired and liked only for her looks, something that she hated. As if she wasn't objectified for being a woman enough. All of the young men in her home town sent letters of lust and longing for her presence, but alas, she had no interest in things such as love. She believed it was an emotion that was wasted too carelessly too often.

Rose and her admirers were shook awake by the sounds of at least twenty new recruits. Their voices could be heard from at least two halls away, a weakness that Rose thought may impact the custom of silent guarding at the palace. To the people of the court, the guards were just decorations that blended into the scenery of grey stone and royal velvet, but to the lower classes, they were a menace not to be interfered with. Hopefully they weren't too full of themselves, otherwise she could be blamed for their bad works.

The old lady servant ushered Rose out into the corridor, trying to making more space for the new men. The walls of the palace would have been extremely bare and unforgiving if it weren't for the large paintings hung within metres of each other, so she let her eyes indulge in the delicious scenery around her. Her favourite was a large oil painting of the King's dappled stallion. Rose had always been fond of horses, and this painting seemed to be the most detailed of them all. Except for a painting of what seemed to be of the Provost and his family many years back, mayhap even centuries because of the worn edges of the frame and the old style of painting. The family were all dressed well and had kind faces, except for one, who seemed to be severely out of place. A young girl with piercing blue eyes glared right down deep into Rose's soul. Her hair was a honey-brown unlike the light haired Provost's, and her features reminded Rose of George, but alas, George was in no way related to a family of upper class for sure!

Her deep train of thought was halted by the presence of a beautiful young woman, dressed in a train of green and red silk. Her tamed black curls were tightly pulled back into a green scarf, and her lips were stained red as a blood bath against her dark tanned skin. Rose became angered with herself, she shouldn't have been wandering around the palace so casually. But now she was caught ogling unaware of the young court woman watching her.

"Please excuse me, my Lady." She stuttered and managed a clumsy bow. Once again she kicked herself, she had executed better bows when she was a wee lad... or girl... or, whatever. "I was just on my way back to the... Ah...guard recruitment...please excuse m..." Rose was cut off short by the woman's soft laugh. "There is no need to be sorry, guardsman." She spoke in a thick accent, unbeknownst as to what her original tongue was, to Rose, it was as if she had known it all her life.

"I thought you were a guard of the palace back in the Copper Isles." She smiled longingly as if she wanted to be back there. Rose frowned in misunderstanding. "Please forgive me, Lady, but how could you mistake me for a guard of the Copper Isles when I bear the armour of Corus?" Rose asked puzzled, it was easy to differentiate between a Copper Isle guard and a Corus guard, one wore a royal blue, and the other a velvet red.

The woman stood closer to Rose, almost a little too close for her liking.

"You have the skin of a Copper Islander." She reached up and brushed her hand over Roses cheek. "And..." She followed, "the fine looks of one." She smirked mischievously, pulling Rose into a state of complete frozen. But yet the woman still persisted, "Are you of Copper Isle blood?" She asked. Rose had no idea of wether or not she was an Islander, but she needed to focus on leaving, rather than taking a risk of getting caught with a female courtier. "I...ah...need to...um...go now my Lady." Rose did another terrible bow, and walked as quickly as she could in the opposite direction, in what she hoped was the way to the arena.

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Just as Rose entered the spectating section of the arena, she looked back and checked to see if the Islander lady had followed her, but clumsily bumped into Alanna. "Oh, pardon me squire Alan." She gave a low laugh. Alanna bowed her head in return, "That's quite alright, Guardsman." She winked mischievously. Both girls made their way to the top of the spectator stands, hoping to get out of earshot of everyone else.

Rose admired Alanna's royal squire clothes and compared them with her own. Because Alanna was of good blood, she was instantly granted better things than she. Something and the only thing she despised Alanna for.

"Where's George?" Rose asked, she had remembered that he had promised to watch the recruiting, and he didn't seem to be a man that would mislead his acquaintances. Alanna smirked and studied the servants cleaning up the swords and batons left strewn on the golden straw matts by the men.

"He was here, when you were fighting." She said not noticing the confused face of Rose. "But why didn't he stay?" She asked, puzzled as to why he didn't wait to see her. "Well he is the king of thieves, Mathew. He can't exactly make his presence known to the guards." She laughed. "Oh, right." she smiled awkwardly, hoping Alanna wouldn't take her for a fool.

The old head of guards whom Rose met when she first arrived at the palace stood with his feet square on the ground, facing the new recruits in the stands. Rose hoped he had forgotten the incident with the little boy, he mayhap hold that against her later.

"All new palace guards are to gather here tomorrow at dawn." He held up his hand to cease the cued noises of disappointment from his men. "But, until then you are free to be dismissed." He boomed. Then there were whoops of cheer from everyone. To the lower people of the crowd, they were just plain happy for their son, grandson, friend or sweetheart. But for the female Courtiers, they were excited for some new handsome, young toys who would fall at their gold and pink velvet slippers.

Alanna stood and nodded politely toward Rose, cuing her signal to leave. "You did well, Mathew." Alanna smiled. Rose stood from her seat and bowed, causing Alanna to bear a huge grin on her lips. "Why thank you, Squire Alan, it has been a pleasure. Perhaps you mayhap join us down at The Dancing Dove this evening?" Rose replied. She had really gotten along well with Alanna, and they had both gone through some similar difficulties. Rose wished that the two could become good friends one day, that was if Alanna didn't think she acted as a fool,

"My apologies, but I am not able to leave the palace. The Prince is in need of my assistance for a few days. But until then, farewell Mathew." She waved, and exited the arena.

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"You did it!" George slammed his ale down onto the newly dented table. The Dancing Dove was crowded as ever, but George and Rose still had their permanently reserved table that no in in their right mind dared to touch. George was a kind hearted fellow, but that table was his property, and everyone knew it.

Rose smiled a huge grin in appreciation of George's excitement. He wiped his hand over his handsome mouth to dry the froth from the last of his beverage. "Although I shouldn't act so surprised, really." He lent back on his creaking chair and crossed his arms in all matters of seriousness. "You are quite a skilled fighter for a country boy, Mathew. Mayhap you'll give up your palace job and join me as personal body guard for The King of Thieves?" Rose rolled her eyes. "I like you George, don't push it." She frowned. He laughed in response, he probably had one too many ales that evening.

The evening went on as the pair chatted away, the buzz of the Dancing Dove slowly died down until the bar mistresses said their goodnights and left for home. But George's drinking only went on and on. Rose noticed that he wasn't quite acting himself, even though she had only known him for a couple of days. His large, warm brown eyes became bloodshot, and it became harder for Rose to read his mixed emotions. "Are you quite alright, George?" She asked, becoming quite distressed about his fast downward spiral. George's big bear grin was lessened, and his face fell into the cups of his large hands. "No, I sssssuppose I'm not, Mathew." He sighed. "It jussst hard with sssso much resssspooonsobility." He sulked, Rose gave him a pat on the shoulder in understanding. She had no doubt that being The King of Thieves was a hard task.

George pulled his tear streaked face from his now wet hands. "Have ye ever ssssseen dead children before?" He cried. Pushing his empty ale cup from the table in frustration. Rose jumped from the sharp crack of wood. "Today, I found the body of a wee lad of jusssst two!" He sniffed. "But we found hissss murderer and did to him what he dissserved." He added triumphantly.

Rose struggled to hold back a tear, she had never wished death upon any child, no matter how difficult they may be. It was not right to kill something that had been taught no better.

"And the thing that made it worssssse?" He struggled to speak clearly through the stickiness of the alcohol. But Rose nodded her head to show him that she was listening. "Hissss threeeee older ssssisterss were all and raped and killed. Left completely bare in the sewerssss of the Cessss." He added. Rose imagined the poor mother of these children, she must have been completely inconsolable.

George let his body slump onto the table, and the distorted hiccups of tears shook his strong shoulders. "I better get you to bed, George." She said awkwardly, hoping he would be able to stand himself. But much to her disappointment, he didn't move.

Rose sighed and took a one of his huge arms and lugged it onto her shoulder. "Up we get, George." She said, as she struggled to heave the full body weight of the young man across the dimly lit room. "Ow!" She hissed and cursed through her teeth as her hip made contact with a large oak table. Unfortunately for Rose, George slept on the top floor, which meant two flights of stairs. But she tried to look at this peculiar situation in a clear mind, at least this would help with her weights training.

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Rose managed to finally reach George's Room, which was thankfully unlocked. There was in no possible way he would sleep in her room, the risk was to great. "Get into bed, George." She puffed, still out of breath from the stairs. He managed slide his arm over the back of Rose's neck, which sent her thick brown wig flying down onto George's feet. Her long blonde hair undid around her face before she could see where the wig had fallen. Rose tripped and fell onto George, who landed onto his backside with a large 'thump'. George groaned in pain, "Oww! What are ye tryin' to do, Mathew?" He mumbled sleepily. George groggily picked up the peculiar brown fluff from his feet and held it up to Rose.

Who much to his surprise looked down at him with long, blonde hair...


	6. Chapter 6 - A Close Call?

Hi guys, I hope you are enjoying the story so far! I don't mean to sound like a whining child, but if people wanted to, could they leave a review on how the are liking/disliking it so far? Haven't gotten any in a while and I need to tailor it for you guys! :) x

A Close Call?

Chapter 6

The deep chocolate pools of George's eyes grew larger and larger the longer he stared at the new-found blonde haired, Rose. Suddenly the room began to sway and swerve from under him, until his head landed on the floor with a thump. Rose was shaken awake from her terror by the huge smack erupting from George's heavy skull. "He must have passed out from the alcohol." She told herself. "Hopefully that bang on the head was enough to make him forget about what had just happened." She thought, then sent a quick prayer to her Mother Goddess and Mithros.

Rose grabbed her wig and stuffed in down her tunic, it itched her chest, but it it was better to have a irritated chest than a blown cover. She then pulled her hair out of her face. It had been a long time since she had to deal with having her hair out and it annoyingly sticking to her features.

His room was larger than Rose's, with a large double bed set in a corner with no windows, a good idea she thought served a well thought out purpose. If an enemy were to break in, George would have enough time to grab his sword and attack.

But there was no way Rose was able to lug the huge man into bed, plus the risk of him seeing her like that if she accidentally shook him awake was too great. So instead she stepped over his crumbled torso, and grabbed a pillow and blanket. Very carefully, she lifted his head and moulded the pillow into a comfortable position. The blanket was huge, it's long red length enough to go cover her body length two times over, but alas, it was big enough for her extremely tall friend.

He curled up into his pillow showing his sleepy 'thanks', when Rose caught herself studying his face. Of course she thought he hadn't the looks of a prince (unlike Jon, his face bore a more solid build), but the good looks of a King, more specifically the King of Thieves.

She sighed, her work there was done, even though she would get no sleep because she needed to make it up to the palace by dawn. She didn't complain, but instead put a note in her mind to go and give offerings to her Mother Goddess. Because Rose knew that without her, Rose's secret would have been discovered from day dot.

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The Head of Guards stood before Rose and twenty new recruits just as the sun peeked over the snow-capped mountains. Everyone including Rose was disgusted by the early rise, especially since no sleep had been completed on her behalf.

"Welcome to your first day at the palace." His large voice cracked like a whip through their eardrums. "I will all assign you with one other experienced guard, then you shall take your first shift." He said. "You partners will give me a full report of you progress at the end of your shift, which should finish around midday." His words made the Palace guards groan, mayhap it wasn't such fun baby sitting. They probably did this job to escape looking after their own wee ones.

The Head of Guards (who's name turned out to be Sir Andreas) paired Rose up with one of the eldest guards, and thankfully Sir Andreas had not recognised her.

His name was Smith, a kind old man in his mid sixties. His faded grey irises matched his silver mane, but his eyebrows had still remained their original colour, a deep dark black. "Call me Smith, Lad." He smiled. Still surprisingly quite agile for his age, he stretched out his muscles and told Rose to do the same. Even though everyone else had cleared the room, Rose followed. He had obviously retained his wits too.

"Right o'." He puffed, and pulled his belt around his armour. "I hope ye can handle children well, laddy." He grinned. "Today we guard the royal nursery." Rose's face must have been stunned with shock. She worried that the little boy may be there, and he may recognise her. Smith laughed heartily, "Don't be worried, Lad." He slapped her roughly on the back. "The children don't bite...much."

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Rose followed Smith through the servant's halls. Although they could be seen by courtiers at all times, it was extremely rude to do anything other than be a statue. "Make sure when ye travel through the castle, always use the servants route," Smith shouted over his shoulder. Rose figured he must have been half deaf, and thought he needed to shout in order to be heard, regardless of if the room was full of noise or silent. "Us mere guards aren't permitted t' be wanderin' about th' palace willy nilly." He said. Rose nodded her head in a silent understanding. Until she finally mustered the courage to speak up, "So you are allowed to patrol the palace if put on that duty by Sir Andreas?" She asked, hopefully he had heard her soft voice. "Aye, Lad." He responded. "But nothin' more."

The pair arrived at the nursery just as the children were being awoken by their nannies. It was a large room with five cribs on either side of the red walled room. But no fire cackled warmly in the corner much to Rose's surprise. Smith said that many years back, they lost a toddler who got too curious and fell into the fire pit.

"Absolute tragedy." He shook his head in sorrow. But to Rose the room was still warm, she wondered if it was magicked by the palace mages, but she daren't ask Smith. She didn't want him to think she was acting pert by asking too many questions.

Rose and Smith stood on either side of the nursery door, just as the sun had finally heaved itself over the steep mountain cliffs. Rose thanked the gods she had a good partner and the little boy didn't appear to be anywhere.

"Mornin' Gladys" Smith bowed as a new nanny entered the room to start a new shift. "Good mornin', Jimmy." The woman winked, she looked to be the same age as Smith, but her skin had deeper set wrinkles than his. Rose didn't question as to why the nanny called Smith 'Jimmy' in such a manner that wives may say to their husbands.

"Don't worry, Lad." He looked over to Rose with a reassuring glance. "She's me wife." He said. Rose smiled with her plump lips and nodded. "Now I understand." she thought and let a sigh of relief escape her lips. "Gladys and me always wanted a wee lad of our on yer see." He whispered, and glanced to see if his wife was out of earshot. Which she was, busy dealing with a soiled loincloth and a bare red screaming baby. "But the gods decided our wished fate must not be." He said with a tone of sorrowfulness in his rough voice. "Gladys knew that I had a position guardin' the nursery, so she got the work of a nanny." He smiled, and straightened himself back into position. "What about you, Lad? Where are your parents?" He asked, back to his original loud voice. Rose sighed, she hated constantly being asked about her parents, but she knew that Smith was probably a man of good mind not to bring it back up again.

"Me and my sister live in the countryside," she said. "But my mother died giving birth to me, and my father died when I was very young." She sighed, no matter how many times she told the story, it never got any easier. Smith's face fell in to a apologetic glance. "I'm sorry to hear that, Lad." He said understandingly. But that emotion was quickly wiped off and replaced with puzzlement. "But if you are here, why is your sister still in the country?" He asked, Rose knew that she had to answer the question, no matter how hard it was to say.

"My older sister, recently fell pregnant with child." She gulped. Smith laughed, "You're saying that as if its a bad thing Lad! I hope she, her husband and the babe are happy." He smiled. But Rose still hung her head in embarrassment. "Ah, you see that's the thing, she has no husband." She mumbled, and Smith shook his head. "Her man left her for another woman. Even though I never met the bastard, I still would've killed him." She snapped. Imaging slaying the terrible, unworthy man.

Smith nodded his head in agreement. "Aye Lad, that's no way to treat a woman." He said, "Is that the only reason you're 'ere then?" He asked, although a part of Rose knew that he knew he was pushing the boundaries.

She shook her head strongly, "I didn't just come to support my sister." She said defensively. "I came here to follow a life long dream of serving at the palace, but my sister wanted me to come here - and not for her benefit. She wanted me to fulfil my dreams."

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It was midday by the time all of the guards and their new partners had returned to the exercise area at the end of their shift. All of the courtiers showed fresh faces of painted lips and trimmed beards, in comparison to the groggy emotions and droopy eyes of the guards and servants who started their shifts early that morning. Sir Andreas stood in his prestigious armour, which had been buffed and polished obviously for hours on end. Although, Andreas didn't seem to be as tired as everyone else, Rose thought it was mayhap because he had breakfast and rested whilst the guards did their duty.

He cleared his throat not to wash away unwanted mucous from his lungs, but to capture the attention of the slowly dozing men before him. "Thank you, recruits. You have successfully completed your first guard duty. You may leave, and go to your new living quarters." He snapped, a sure sign to the recruits to take their leave fast, or face the consequences. "Thank you, Smith." Rose whispered to her new friend, and he winked back at her in response.

Rose and the recruits fled down a stairwell similar to that of a pigs tail. Lucky the torches shine bright above them, for no windows shone light into the cramped servants halls. Rose stood her ground at the back of the pack, walking briskly along side a man in about his mid-twenties. "I hope there are windows in our rooms!" He gasped. Unlike most of the men in Corus she knew, this man had shoulder length black hair, dark green eyes, and a jawline that could cut her in half if she looked at it too long. Rose smiled and nodded. "As do I." She replied. "If not, it will be like living in a jail cell." She finished. It was tough keeping up an conversation whilst running behind a pack of men hurrying to get the best bed of the lot. The man laughed, Rose didn't know if he was laughing at what she had said, or at the fact she was puffing heavily. He lent out his hand, which seemed to be quite tanned as hers was, "Muat." Rose shook it firmly, "I'm Mathew." She replied. Muat smiled a kind grin.

"Are you by any chance from the Copper Isles?" He asked, Rose face palmed herself in her mind. She just couldn't escape the question that seemed to fall onto everyone's lips.

"I do not know, but that seems to be a popular question amongst everyone recently." She grumbled. Muat laughed, "You look like one." He replied, obviously ignoring or not noticing her snappy attitude. "Do I just?" She asked, curious to see why everyone seemed to think so. Muat nodded his head,

"Well for starters you have skin like mine, quite tanned you see." He held his arm next to Rose to compare them. And she had to agree that they were very similar in colour, but that was surely from country life.

"I cannot be!" She laughed, "My father and sister were white!" She smiled in relief, she reassured herself it was all those years farming in the sun that caused her to bronze. But still Muat continued.

"What about your mother?" He asked. Rose was stunned, she had never actually considered where her mother came from, she had always assumed she was a Corussian. "Hmm?" He nudged her awake from her dream of thought. But still Rose furrowed her brow. "Look, I'm pretty sure my skin is bronzed from years working on our farm." She replied, hoping that he would drop the conversation. This time he giggled before speaking to Rose,

"Mayhap if you were a girl, you could have been the stolen princess. My mama said that the Copper Queen had a daughter to a white man, and she got taken by white bandits. But she couldn't tell anyone because very few people knew." He said, winking. But Rose just rolled her eyes, as if she was some stolen Kyprish princess, that would be half her luck.

Rose found herself in one of the two dorms held aside for the guards. Thankfully, the bed she had chosen lay under a window, which would be handy if she needed a quick escape in an emergency. Muat had the bed opposite hers, and four other men named, Samuel, Davis, Francis, and Geoff a slept on the opposite side of the room. Rose hoped they had no interest in late nights, everyone needed their sleep for such early duties, which, she should add, need full attention to complete.

Even though the room was huge compared to her room at The Dancing Dove, it certainly wasn't a cozy. But it provided a bed and chest with a lock and key for her things. Rose decided after cozying herself into the room, to unpack her things and then visit George. "I hope he has recovered from last night." She prayed. But something in her stomach said that he wasn't.


	7. Chapter 7 - Tomboy or Princess?

Hey everyone! I hope you are enjoying the story so far :) I'm sorrt I haven't been able to update for a while! :p reviews appreciated x

Tomboy or Princess?

Chapter 7

"Good afternoon, George." Rose smiled, as she entered The Dancing Dove, full as ever from the workers on their midday breaks. The tavern looked a lot different in daylight, with sunshine lighting the room rather than a dimly lit candle. It had been two days since her first watch as palace guard, and she was yet to visit George as she was exhausted from the early rises.

George sat at his table, with a jug of water in one hand, and a bread roll in the other, his eyes boring into empty space. "I'm glad to see you are feeling better! I hope that bread isn't from Mrs Patsy's stall." She mocked a scornful look and rested her hand on her hips.

George recaptured his long lost stare. Something wasn't right. Usually he would welcome her with open arms. But that day, he hadn't.

"I need to speak with you, Mathew." He snapped. Rose jumped at his sudden harshness.

"In private."

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"What, George?" Rose asked, she hoped his mood was from the alcohol sickness. He ignored her question and led her upstairs to his room. Rose went in first, then George knelt down on his knees and fiddled with the lock. She assumed he had magicked it, but for what reason she did not know.

After brushing his hands on his tunic, he crossed them over his chest and stood to face her, his glare was enough to make her cower in the corner. "What's your real name?" He barked, Rose jumped again. But not at his voice, but instead because of the cold adrenaline running up and down her veins. "Wha..." She mumbled, frustrated because she didn't know what to say, he had remembered seeing her with her hair down the evening before.

"This has to be the end of me!" She screamed inside. One bad word from the lips of the Rogue would be enough to be prowled on by a city of rats for the rest of her life.

George rolled his eyes in frustration, "Tell me, Lass!" He accentuated the Lass, to let it sharply slice the innards of her slow beating, cold flesh. Rose let her cheeks redden, and tried to hold the tears back, but they flowed from her eyelids like waterfalls spilling over a pink cliffs. "Oh, please don't tell anyone George!" She cried. "I just wanted to..." George let his shoulders relax a little. "Just wanted t' what? Pull one over our eyes! As if we were children who knew no better?" He questioned, his voice was still tense, but he seemed kinder now.

Rose dabbed her cheeks on the sleeve of her tunic, thank the gods her nose hadn't started running. She cleared her throat, "I just wanted to serve at the palace, George!" She whined, "I have to pay back my sister, she basically raised me by herself! She wasted her childhood on me, and it makes me hate myself everyday because of it." She gasped. No longer her tears flowed, but her words did.

George nodded his head kindly. Rose was relieved he hadn't yet cut her throat for lying. "What's your real name, Lass." He repeated his question that Rose had reluctantly ignored at the beginning of the conversation.

"Rose Nightly." She hung her head in shame, and reached up to grab the scruffy mat of wig from her head. Her blonde hair rested at her waist, itching her back, but she knew it was no time to get distracted.

George pulled up two chairs next to the hearth and collapsed into one, running his big hands through his short hair. "Sit." He commanded,

Rose obeyed and sat down in the seat. "Explain."

She sighed, it was to be a long day.

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"But if your father died when y' were so wee, Rose, how come ye and your sister weren't put in the children's home?" George asked, he and Rose had been talking for over an hour, but the time still had not reached mid afternoon.

"Well, my sister was fourteen when my father died. The age most girls were married and had families bigger than the amount of fingers on my hands." She said. " The women at the children's home thought they needn't have any use for us, and my sister was old enough to raise me." She finished, George scoffed. "Old enough to bare children? I think not."

Rose didn't want to continue the conversation any further, it made her feel ever so guilty. "But why a palace guard, Rose?" He questioned. Rose sat taller in her seat, she had forgotten a person with such title should sit politely.

"Well, I had always dreamt of becoming a knight, the excitement of it all was incredible!" She gasped, dreams of galloping over foreign lands, and fighting for their King seeped back into her memory. "But alas I am no blue blood." She sighed, kicking at the edge of the carpet. "Or male." She added.

George furrowed his brows. "But if you liked the action so much, why not become a dog of the Provost guard?" He questioned, "Y'know it's legal for a lass to be one of 'em."

"I have no knowledge of the city and its ways, George. And the pay was not twice as good as the guard's." She said. George fiddled with the collar of his shirt. "If you be slavin' away in the city, why aren't ye both living in the 'ere?" He asked. "My sister got pregnant to some toe-scum of a man that left her for another woman." She answered. Rose had always dreamt of ripping him to a million shreds, so the remains of his body would copy the snow falling on the snow capped mountains of Corus.

There was a sudden rasp on the door, someone wanted to come in, and fast.

George ran to the door and squinted through a small peep-hole. "It's Alan!" He whispered furiously, "Quick! Go put ye wig on!" He cried. Rose had to laugh at his concern, "It's alright George, let him in." She giggled.

George gave Rose an odd look before he opened the door and let Alanna in.

Alanna had changed into a plain tunic just as Rose had, thieves in this area were smart about burgling people dressed from the palace.

"George, why aren't you downstairs? Me 'n Jon have been waiting a while!" She snapped, Rose now knew that her temper matched her hair. Alanna saw George's silence, and then noticed Rose sitting by the fireplace fiddling with her long hair. "Oh." She breathed. "Afternoon Rose. You know, the more people you tell secrets, the more unwanted ears will hear 'em too." Alanna put her hands on her hips in concern. Rose's cheeks went flushed, "Afternoon Alanna.", George interrupted the pair, looking gobsmacked. "What?!" He boomed loudly.

"How were you told, Alanna? Not me? Am I so untrustworthy?" He sulked. Alanna rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No, George." She said, mocking kindly. "I figured it out for my self if you must be so nosy." She ran her hands through her fiery bob. George still looked as though someone had hit him with a rotten fish. "But..." He stumbled, looking frantically at empty space, then relaxed and slid down to the floor. "I dunno anymore, lass." He sighed. Alanna laughed coldly, "It it getting too much for the Rouge? Mayhap you'll have to retire early, George." She snickered. This made Rose laugh, the two couldn't be anymore different, but yet they suited each other so well.

"Is Jon downstairs?" Rose asked curiously, she thought it mayhap be nice to spend the evening with the Prince and the others. Alanna nodded her head.

Let's forget our woes and you can drown them in ale George!" She chirped, stuffing the wig back into Roses's hair and grabbed her by the arm. George huffed, and followed Alanna and Rose downstairs.

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The three met the young prince at their usual spot and exchanged greetings. Rose was please to see her friends after such a long time at the palace. She had made friends with Muat and Smithy, but the other guards preferred to spend their spare time with their hands up young servant skirts.

"Another ale, George?" Rose asked, with an evil grin. George turned pale and held his hand to his stomach. "It 'as been two days Matty, but me stomach has not quite fully recovered." He said. Jon laughed, "So while poor Alan and I have been slaving away at the palace, you two have been emptying barrels of ale!" He mocked scornfully. "Aye, but only one night." George smiled, Rose was glad Jon didn't ask why George had been drowning his sorrows.

"So what have you and Alan been doing that has taken up all of your concentration." Rose asked, curious as to what the duties Jon had to attend to in such haste. George leaned forward, obviously keen to cop an earful of gossip. Jon and Alanna both glanced at each other before Jon explained, Rose thought it mayhap be secret palace business that would be handy to keep up her sleeve, so she listened carefully.

"We have been having trouble with the slaves from the Copper Isles," he said.

George shook his head, "Well the crown wouldn't have the problem if we abolished slavery." He growled. Jon stuck his chest out in defence, "Don't blame this on my father, George." He warned. Alanna nodded her head in agreement, "Yes, slavery is a terrible thing George. But our society was built by slaves, they have been branded in our history since the beginning of time." She told George, "It's not as if the King created the whole thing, he was stuck with it from the beginning he was crowned."

Rose sighed, "No matter who's fault it is, it still doesn't make it right." She said. Everyone at the table nodded their heads in agreement.

"Anyhow," Jon continued, "As you know the main head of the Isles is the Queen. There has been an uproar as to whom will become the next heiress, as the queen has not yet bore children." He said. "Why not?" Rose asked.

Jon sighed, "She has no husband, but there is a myth that she did have a child to a white man many years ago, and she and the babe suffered in the birth, they think she is mayhap to scared to birth again. But alas, if she had a daughter, there would be no unrest." He said.

"The people think there mayhap be an overthrowing of the Queen. That is whats causing so much anger." Jon said, "The slaves wish to return home and fight for or against the Queen. Many have tried to escape within the past few days, and brawls amongst them have grown hugely popular." He finished.

Rose was puzzled, usually the Raka kept peaceful I most situations, it was rare for there to be an altercation amongst them. "Keep an eye out for any suspicious movements, George." Alanna told him. George agreed to do so.

"You too, Mathew." Jon asked her. "Yes of course," Rose replied, "I share the same dorm with just one Raka, but he seems to trust me, so I'll put in a few words with him." She said. Jon began to look her up and down, making Rose extremely uncomfortable and her cheeks stain red. "Yes, please do so." He said, and Rose nodded. "Although... Don't mind me asking, Mathew, but are you of Raka blood?" He questioned. Rose wanted to bang her head down on the table in frustration. "I don't think so, I think I'm just tanned from farm work." She replied calmly. But George joined in, "Are you sure? Well for the exception of your..." He was stopped short of his sentence by a glare from Alanna. "...Your blue eyes." He puffed. But Rose calmly persisted, "I am sure of it." She said.

"We best be getting back to the palace then, Jon?" Alanna said, she knew that the conversation was beginning to get dangerous. Jon smiled a handsome grin, one that made Rose's stomach do somersaults. "Yes, I think that would be best, Alan." He said. The pair stood from the table and said their goodbyes, "Won't you come back with us, Mathew?" Jon asked. Rose shook her head, "I have three days off, so I thought I might stay in the city." She smiled. But before Jon could reply, his voice was cut off by a small, sweet voice, much similar to Rose's sister's. "Excuse me, but is that you, Mathew?" It asked, and much to Rose's surprise, she turned to see her sister standing behind her.

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"Grace!" Rose cried, and she grabbed her sister in a tight embrace. "I've missed you, Mathew." She giggled in Rose's ear. "And to whom do we owe the pleasure?" George asked, whipping Rose out of the fast spinning whirlpool of emotions. "I am Grace Nightly, Mathew's older sister." Grace smiled. Realisation and shock hit the three faces before Rose and Grace.

"Bu...But you two look nothing alike!" Alanna questioned. "Aye!" George agreed, Jonathan nodded his head.

"We don't, do we?" Grace laughed, Rose smiled, she loved having her sister by her side, even though Rose towered over her by far. Grace wore a dainty lavender dress that hid her baby bump well, to Rose it was as if she had no babe in her belly at all. Her furious curls were swept up into a bun, showing off the pale skin of her neck and her smooth green eyes and plump lips.

"What are you doing in the city?" Rose asked, "You shouldn't be travelling with a babe in your belly." She warned Grace, but her sister waved the comment off. "I came to see how you were, I haven't seen you in months!" She smiled.

"Well you can't possibly go home now, Grace!" Rose said with concern, "The babe must be due any day now! You'll have to have it here." She said scornfully. "My mother is a woman's healer," George said to Grace, "She would be glad to help with the delivery?" He asked, Alanna nodded her head,

"It would be too risky to travel alone, forgive me, but I did not realise you were pregnant?" She asked puzzled. "Easy prey for bandits." George said.

Grace huffed in disappointment, "I come to visit you, Mathew and all you do is bombard me with questions!" She scorned Rose. "Sorry, Grace, but we do worry for you." She said. Grace sighed and hugged Rose again. " I'm sorry, everyone, my mood is wilder than the seas of Port Cayan." She blushed.

"Not a worry, Grace." Jon smiled. "I think we best leave you to it!" He exclaimed, "Yes, I agree." Alanna added. "I'll see you both out." George smiled, "I won't interrupt you two again until tomorrow evening." He said, " I have some unfinished business to attend to." He finished. And with that, Grace and Rose were left to themselves.

"Oh I've missed you, Rose." Grace exclaimed. Rose held a finger to her lips to hush her. "Not here, I have a room upstairs." She said.

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Rose's room was still warm, the fire cackled quietly but hypnotically.

"Oh!" Grace gasped. "Let's sit down by the fire." She said, eyeing off the armchair greedily. Rose pulled up a small wooden stool from underneath the bed and dragged it beside Grace's armchair.

"How did you find me?" Rose asked, she hoped Grace hadn't gone to a tracking Mage, Rose would have died from embarrassment.

"Oh, I made it halfway up to the palace,"

"You walked up to the palace in your condition! Constellations above, Grace!"

Rose exclaimed. But Grace laughed her sister's concern off. "I was only going to walk half way then beg for a ride with someone!" She winked. Rose shook her head.

"As I was saying, I met a nice Raka man. I think his name was... Matu?... No, I think it was..." She thought. "Muat?" Rose tried. Grace's eyes lit up, "Yes! That was it, Muat." She exclaimed, "Muat offered me a ride up to the palace, he said that he was a Guard also! Do you know each other?" Grace asked.

Rose bit her lip, "Yes, I do." She said.

"Well," Grace started, "he kindly asked me what business I had at the palace, I then told him I was looking for you, and he said where you might be." She winked, "To bad you're my brother...not sister." She sighed dramatically.

"He is very handsome!" She exclaimed. Rose shook her head,

"This is why I don't want to be a girl." She shook her head again.

Grace laughed hysterically, "Anyhow, what business brings you here?" She said, thankfully off the girly topics Rose too felt uncomfortable to discuss.

"Those three men, are my new friends, George is runs this tavern, Alan is Jon's squire, and Jon is the Prin..." Rose flung a hand to her gob, and Grace's eyes lit up like a wildfire. "The Prince!" She gasped, "why was he down here?!

Surely not! I mean... Really!" She exclaimed, Rose put another finger to her lips to hush her frantic sister once again.

"Yes, he is Prince Jonathan, but you must swear not to tell anyone!" She whispered furiously. Grace nodded her head solemnly. "Ok, not a word."

"Good." Rose snapped, her sister had the gift of the gab that could spread gossip to the countryside and back.

"How is it going up there?" Grace asked, resting her hand on Rose's knee.

"It's going well," Rose began, "I have a nice enough partner, we guard the nursery together." she said, smiling at the thought of dimpled cheeks and nursery rhymes. Grace nodded her head.

"Not as much action as I had anticipated, but I suppose that's what every palace guard wants, really." She sighed.

"Anyway, how was the boat trip?" Rose asked her sister, she knew that she definitely wouldn't have taken the long dangerous trek as Rose had.

Grace's cheeks went pale, "Horrid!" She said, "I was made to sit next to two Raka slaves, who kept trying to escape." She told her sister.

Rose already knew why, "Yes, there is problems within the Raka court at the moment, the queen has still not yet provided the next heiress." She shook her head.

"All slaves from the Isles wish to return home and fight for, or against the poor queen." She shook her head. "I do feel sorry for her, she has many rumours spread of her about a kidnapped daughter bred by a white lover." Rose sighed. Grace began to shuffle uncomfortably in her seat, but Rose assumed it was baby pains.

"May I feel your belly?" Rose asked, she had longed to feel the gentle kick of her niece against her palm. Once again, Grace shuffled uncomfortably in her chair. With no response, Rose gently shook her sister's arm to make sure she was well. At her touch, Grace jumped out of her seat.

"Do not touch me, Rose!" She wailed. Rose assumed it was her moodiness that was fiddling with her emotions. "Why not? Is there something wrong? I could go and get the Women's heal..." Grace burst into tears before Rose could finish her sentence. "No, she can't do anything!" Grace wailed.

Rose stood beside her sister and hugged her tightly. She felt so skinny for a pregnant woman, even considering Grace was quite thin before she conceived. "Why not, Grace?" She muttered into her ear. Grace pulled away from Rose and wiped her cheeks.

"Because there is no baby, Rose."

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Rose stepped back at her sister's statement, if not surprised beyond belief.

"Wha..?" She gasped, "What do you mean! No baby?" Rose stuttered.

Grace returned to her chair, sitting stiffly against the plush cushions that ached for her to relax in. Grace cleared her throat and blew her nose on a daintily embroidered handkerchief.

"I didn't just come see how you were doing, Rose" Grace began, "I need to tell you something very important." She said. Rose sat down on her stool, but said nothing. She was too shocked as to what her sister had told her to be concerned about any other matters.

"Now, you must swear on your life you will tell nobody what I am about to say to you." She told Rose sternly. Rose began to feel an ache in the back of her throat, something that happened before she cried.

"Al...Alright, I swear." She mumbled. "Good, don't interrupt me either, otherwise we'll be here for hours." Grace replied stunted, and Rose nodded her head obediently.

"Seventeen years ago, your father visited the Copper Isles as a Corussian ambassador for a meeting amongst all the provinces of Tortall." Grace began.

"Whilst he was there, he fell in love with a most beautiful woman, the newly crowned Queen of the Isles." She said. Rose let out a gasp, such a scandal would have led to execution if anyone were to discover the pair. But still Rose kept silent. If she spoke, the tears would flood her cheeks like a raging river.

"But unfortunately, the Queen became pregnant, so she travelled to the countryside to conceal her pregnancy until the baby was born. The Queen returned home, and left the baby with your father until she could find away to keep her newly born daughter, without spoiling her reputation." Grace said, staring of into the distance of the rooftops of the lower city.

"All went to plan, except when for when the one of the Queen's servants bragged she knew the baby before anyone else did, including the Queen's Mother to her friends." She sighed. "So as you could imagine, Rose, the gossip spread like a wildfire. Most believed it untrue, with the strong exempt of the Queen's mother." Rose began to feel sorrow for the poor Queen.

"The Queen's mother was so wicked, she sent for the rumoured baby to be executed. She would have no spoiled blood infiltrate the clean bloodlines of the royal Raka family." Grace sniffed, "But thankfully, your father escaped in time, and sailed to the countryside of Tortall, where he knew his daughter would be safe." She smiled. Rose couldn't believe it, her father had an affair with a Queen!

"Seventeen years ago!" Rose thought, "that's the time when I was bor..."

Rose stopped. Her blood ran cold, and her heart seemed as though it did not beat anymore. "You mean, I am the missing princess?" Rose stuttered.

Very solemnly, Grace nodded her head.

"Yes, Rose, you are the missing Princess of The Copper Isles."

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	8. Stolen princess

Stolen Princess

Chapter 8

Rose shook her head in a desperate attempt to wake herself.

"Missing Princess?!" She thought frantically, she felt her heart push against her chest.

Everything she had ever known was a lie? Her sister wasn't her real 'sister', and all that grief she took on for the death of her 'mother' was for nothing?

Grace took both of her hands and held them tight.

"My mother died when I was born." She said, a curly strand of hair fell to her cheek, obviously knowing what Rose was thinking.

Rose felt a torrent of emotion slap her in the face.

"Wha... You mean... I hated myself for all these years for the death of a woman I never even met?!" Rose sobbed.

Rose felt her emotions change drastically. Suddenly, she felt anger and hatred fume within her heart.

"All this time, Grace!" Rose snapped, "And not a single word?" She cried, snatching her hands away.

"The reason we never told you, Rose, was because your father put us under a strict oath" She snapped, Rose wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

"If anyone else was to ever know, you could've been stolen, or even tortured!" Grace cleared her throat, her voice slightly calmer. "Our instructions were for you to become one of us. Apart of our family."

Grace said, her voice a little softer. "I never felt right about your poor mother never knowing what happened to you."

Rose still glared at the wooden floorboards in disbelief, and Grace uncomfortably flattened the pleats of lavender in her lap.

"You were such an intelligent young mot, and you still are." She said, "Seeing you work on the farm, and train at the academy everyday made me feel so selfish keeping you home." Grace stood and walked to the window, and leaned on the windowsill. Pink and auburn rays of sunlight washing her pale skin of its blandness.

"You were born for greater things." She smiled, and turned to face Rose again.

"To be Queen."

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Rose rubbed her face with her finely calloused hands.

"I am no Queen, Grace." Rose looked up. "Nor do I ever want to be."

She glared. Her 'sister' frowned.

"You are, Rose." She snapped, annoyed by her sudden tone of gloominess.

"Think about it!" She said. "There is unrest amongst your people..."

Rose jumped to her feet.

"They are not my people, Grace." She spat like a viper. "I am no princess! It makes no sense! How can a missing royal be forgotten so easily? Especially the one next inline to the throne!"

Suddenly, her vision became soiled with heavy black spots.

"Rose!" Was the last thing she heard, before she slumped to the floor unconscious.

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Green smoke clouded Rose's vision, and the rich smell of blood left a metallic taste on her tongue. She could not speak, nor move.

A high pitched scream echoed in her ears, "I promise, Mother!" A strangled voice said, wrapped in a thick Raka accent.

"He's done nothing wrong, please." It pleaded, the voice was of a woman.

A sharp slap echoed in the darkness.

"Of course he did, you stupid child! Both of you had a baby unmarried!" Another woman replied. "Where is it now, Deikna?" The older woman snapped.

"It?! You dare call your grandchild an it?" The younger woman wailed, but her voice was cut off by another sharp, ear-splitting crack.

"I dare call the bastard child whatever I wish! Especially since it's mother is an unmarried, slut!" The older woman snarled.

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"Rose, wake up! Oh, please, wake up!"

The panic-strangled voice was of Grace's.

She went to sit up, but felt the immediate urge to be sick. And she did, all over the floor, and through to someone's bedroom ceiling.

Grace sighed in relief then rubbed her back soothingly.

"Where are the other women?" Rose looked around frantically. Much to her surprise, no other people resided in the bedroom except for her and Grace.

She frowned at Rose, and put a hand to Her forehead.

"There is no one here but us, Rose. Are you sure you are alright?" She whispered nervously.

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The sun was gently setting below the rolling hills of Corus, when the two women began the journey to the post office. And even though it was soon to be evening, many of the Lower City still roamed the streets.

Exotic women with stained lips beckoned young males on alleyway openings, and young children played underneath the Night Market stalls.

"'Tis a lovely place." Rose sighed, smiling at the young groups of men and women that laughed as they entered drinking houses. Grace squeezed Rose's arm, and looked up at her 'sister' sadly.

"Aye, aye." She began

"You don't miss your friends back home?" Grace asked, as they turned onto the street opposite the docks. The stench of piss and fish did not spoil the deep-fiery lit sky above them.

Rose shook her head. What friends? The girls she knew her age thought her a boy, and all the lads treated her like a scrawny wimp!

"I had none, Grace." She scoffed. noticing her sisters frowned brows, she corrected herself.

"Apart from you, that is." She said hurriedly, and Grace nodded in approval.

"But don't you miss being a wo..." Grace smacked a hand to her gob. Rose glared at her, but let her face soften.

"No, I don't." Rose replied abruptly.

"Really? What about sweethearts? Hmm? You do have genes blessed by the Goddess." Grace giggled. Rose Sent an apology to the Mother Goddess on her sister's behalf.

"Don't use the Goddess's name so loosely Grace!" Rose snapped, the gods were people Rose certainly didn't want meddling with her life.

A couple of young sailors winked at Grace as they walked passed her.

"Come on, you can't waste your fine looks covered up in chainmail." She teased. Rose stuck her nose in the air.

"Why, I will do such things if I wish!" She scolded. She hated agreeing with her sister, but she had previous thoughts of such things. Rose had already decided she would leave these tendencies to other women. Her duty was to serve the crown, not to serve a betrothed.

Rose led Grace up onto the main market stall area, the quickest route according to one of George's bar maids that was all to helpful. The mot had squeezed her chest and plumped her lips at the sight of Rose.

"Rose, are you sure you're alright? " Grace whispered up at her 'sister'.

Rose hurriedly weaved through a group of wrinkled mages chanting whatever nonsense they said.

She didn't reply at first, her brain was still trying to digest what Grace had said.

Before she could answer, a scrawny dark skinned man with a slave tattoo on his chest pushed through crowds, directly past Rose.

"ESCAPED SLAVES!" A voice screamed from the outer alleyways. And before she could frown at her sister, she felt an elbow smash directly into her chest.

Whoompf was the sound Rose heard as the air escaped her lungs. Suddenly she was flung onto the hard cobblestone street amongst stockinged legs.

Rose eyed her surroundings, and saw at least 200 Raka slaves running toward the harbour. Large, limber pedestrians jumped out of the browned crowd's way, but younglings and the elderly were caught amongst the screaming frenzy of the trapped mob.

"Dogs, grab the children!" A dog of the Lord Provost clung to a building corner, struggling to grip his leather gloves in the sharp nooks of the stone.

Specks of black uniform zipped through Her eyesight.

She was glad the dogs were around, but they were in real need of an army.

"Grace!" She cried, remembering her sister being snatched from crook of her elbow. Her heart exploding, and her brain struggling to hold proper thought.

A young man of fourteen grabbed Rose by the shoulder suddenly. She went for her sword, but no sheath lay attached to her hip. Luckily for him, the poor boy wasn't asking for trouble.

"Oh please, mr! Me sister's but a wee babe, just weaned off me mam's breast!" He cried and rubbed his soot stained face with a torn sleeve.

"I'll never be forgiven, oh please 'elp me!"

Rose quickly tore her eyes off the fast moving crowd to the boy.

"What is it, Lad?" She asked frustratedly, snapping back to the action scene unfolding in front of her.

"One of them slaves took 'er!" Her yelled at Rose,

'The poor boy." She thought. Something in Rose's gut told her that Grace would be alright. She hoped it wasn't Grace magickin' her again, the she really would hope the slaves had taken her.

"Alright, what does she look like?" She snapped. The boy snuffled and pulled out a small drawing of the family. He pointed a grotty fingernail to a the smallest child out of 8, with a small tuft of brown hair tied to the top of her head and fierce green eyes.

"Stay here." Rose growled, it would be pointless if she got the babe, and then couldn't return her.

With a small nod from the boy, She pushed through the shoulders of dazed onlookers.

"Out of the way!" She yelled, but none of them would budge, they much rather watch the excitement of the escapade.

Growing rather frustrated, Rose saw a dirtied sword abandoned on the cobblestone. No one had taken ownership to it yet.

she thought it an incentive to move, for those who would not budge.

Rose grabbed the sword and flung it in her preferred hand.

"Pox and murrain to you all! In the name of Mithros, out of the way!" She bellowed.

In almost an instant, the human curtain was drawn, and showed a path straight into the thick of it all. Rose ran through the wall afore they changed their minds.

"Damn these city folk." Rose thought.

Rather reluctantly, she felt herself being forced forward by the last wave of slaves. But she accepted it. If there was to be conflict, Rose needed to conserve her energy.

Being unfamiliar with the lower city, Rose couldn't tell if she still was on the main road, but was reminded of her whereabouts when gulls began to squawk and chatter. She was at the docks.

The slaves around her came to a sudden stop in front of a royal peregrine ship. Rose had only heard of these back home.

she had imagined them large, being the Kings own, but instead this ship was sleek and small, made of the finest wood taken from the trees of Dunlath. As she admired the ship, she didn't notice the brown faces looking down at her.

Rose looked behind her. At least forty slaves blocking the view of the street.

"Baby?" Rose asked. Hoping some of them spoke her native tongue. To her dismay, she was responded with grunts and familiar Kyprish babble.

She tried to push through the crowd, the stench of human faeces and spoilt fabrics ripped the lining of her nostrils.

Bare breasted women and tall muscled men ignored her as she tried to escape. But she felt a steady push against her once again. In the corner of her eye she saw tanned bodies climbing the ropes to the peregrine.

"Wait, no!" Rose cried. "Only mages can control the ship!"

No reply.

Of course, they didn't understand her,

Rose was pushed to the ground again, the last of the stragglers trampling over her in urgency. The last young mot, at least four years older than Rose carried a small child on her shoulder. The toddler was much paler than her and Rose, with a honey coloured tuft exploding on the crown of her head.

"The baby!" She cried. The raka woman glanced back in terror, the White of her eyes growing as her dark irises narrowed.

Rose jumped to her feet and snatched the girl from the woman's arms, earning her a smart slap on the cheek.

The slaves on the ship bellowed at the the three, bearing yellowed teeth and rotten shouts of raka. The woman hesitated, and spat at the feet of Rose, before climbing up the rope to the ship.

Almost forgetting the babe on her shoulder, she jumped to her feet. "There, there. I'll be takin' y' back to your family. No worry." She patted the babe on the back, feeling her country slang spoil her speech.

Heavy thuds of hard soled boots thudded on the nearby cobblestone. There was a squeal of a dogs whistle.

"All dogs, stop the ship!" It was the same head Dog that clung to the stone wall. The middle aged man had a finely trimmed beard saturated with thick, salty beads of sweat, and his uniform dirtied from the street muck. That went for the other dogs in his company, men and women alike. But they weren't downtrodden. a bloodied woman dog next to Rose spat blood.

"You 'n your babe best be out here real soon, lad." She pushed Rose back into the crowd of dazed onlookers.

"They can't move the ship without magic!" She yelped. Even if some of the slaves had the gift, their tattoos stopped them from using it.

The mot dog turned around, pulling her baton from her hip.

"We know, lad." She said frustratedly. The mot reminded Rose of a hunting hound before being let off her leash.

"They been stealin' babes with the gift!" She snapped, the dog turned her attention to the rest of the onlookers.

"Off with ye' all!" She boomed, her voice bouncing off the sails of the ship like the sea winds.

Rose felt the crowd behind her shriek and run back to the Main Street.

The ship now had four young children on the mages deck. They of course, were Corussian. The ship began to pick up speed, and escaped through the pink sea, imitating the sky above.

A young puppy ran to the angered mot.

"We cannot board the ships!" He cried, anguish stained his freckled complexion.

"Why not?!" The dog snapped.

The puppy gulped, "We tried to board the other vessels, but they were covered in some sorta Mage oil." He said.

The dog tore her glance off the sailing ship. "What do you mean, Mage oil, lad?!" She asked.

"One of the other puppies got pushed onto the deck on his hands and knees." He began, his green eyes welling up.

"The oil burned 'im real bad, Corporal." He sniffed.

The dog rolled her eyes. "This is what happens when we hire dumb puppies." She sighed. Then she noticed Rose still stand near them.

"Oi! I thought I told Ye before, be on your way!" She yelled.

Rose decided she had seen enough to know what was going on. The slaves were trying to get back home. Knowing that they couldn't use their own gifts, they had to find easy targets with magic to help them.

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"Rose!" Grace cried, looking up from a bandage on a wounded dog she had wrapped. Rose grabbed Grace by the shoulder and frowned,

"Are you alright?" She said. Pushing the babe further up her hip.

Grace nodded. "We lost one dog, he was all red and burned." She sighed.

Rose knew it must have been the puppy. The girl on Rose's hip giggled in recognition of her brother, a short, brown haired boy with watery eyes.

He rushed up to Rose and pulled his sister into his arms, almost squeezing the life out of her. "Oh! Goddess bless!" He thanked Rose. The boy kissed his sister on the head. "I thought she'd be gone forever! Those nasty slaves stole 'er from the kitchen step as I bought a loaf of bread from Mrs Patsy..." His little cheeks blossomed. "...she treats me real proper." He smiled. Rose glared at the boy. "Now don't be actin' all improper! You've got a family to care for." Rose frowned. The boy nodded his head abruptly.

"Aye... Here." He put his hand in a bag tied to his tunic and pulled out one last copper noble. Rose refused just as quick.

"No payment needed. Off you go, now." She smiled. The boy grinned and skipped away.

"What would a slave want with a baby?" Grace asked, then beckoned for her next patient. Grace and a few others with the gift were helping mend the wounded who lined the streets.

Rose thought it best to keep the news to herself. If it were to spread, who knew what would happen next. She decided to go back to the palace and find Alanna or Jon, or someone who would help her.

She was being given a task from the gods.

And she could feel it In her bones.


	9. Chapter 9

Hi guys, I'm really sorry but I've been dealing with yr 10 exams (basically dying lel) so I haven't been posting for a while. I know how annoying it can be waiting, but I'm trying my best. :)

Ps I'm writing my English exam essay on tamora pierce lel (surprise surprise)


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